Adjsutable stop for the spring clips of earrings



Feb. 9, 1954 E T 2,668,341

ADJUSTABLE STOP FOR THE SPRING CLIPS OF EARRINGS Filed Sept. 26, 1950INVENTOR.

F. .11 F. .12 jZ/VIAAM/EL L. Aarz wu -M ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1954U D S ATES PATENT; OFFICE ADJUSTABLE STOP FOR THESPRING' CLIPS OFEARRINGS Emanuel L. Am, New York, N. Y.

Application September 26, 1950, Serlal No. 186,761

' 1 forum. (01. 24-4152) This invention relates toan adjustable stopcontrolling the spacing of the'spring clip of an earring relative to theornament arm forv the attachment of the earring to the ear lobe.

Variations in the physical characteristics of the ear lobe from personto person results in attaching the known earring either too tightly ortoo loosely.

:It: is .an object of the instant invention to pro.- vide a means foradjusting an earring to the ear lobewith greater comfort than heretoforepossible.

Another object is to decrease thepossibility of the loss of an earringtoo loosely attached;

:Afurther object is to soform the adjusting means that it is bothinconspicuous and readily manipulated.

Other objects of the instant invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification.

In the attainment of these objectives, the adjustable stop is disposedon the ornament arm of the earring in operable engagement with thetongue of the spring clipto vary the spacingv of the clip from theornament arm and is made in five embodiments. In the first embodiment,the stop takes the form of a disc eccentrically attached to the ornamentarm with the circumference in operable engagement with the tongue-of thespring clip. In the second embodiment,.the stop has a polygonal headrotatably mounted on the ornament arm and in operable engagement withthe tongue. Each side of the polygonal head o'fthe stop has a differentperpendicular distance to the center. In the third embodiment, a slideaway is formed in the end of the ornament arm adjacent the tongue. In theslideway is a .slide in operable engagement with the tongue-and theposition of which relative thereto is controlled by a screw having acentral shank of polygonal cross section in operable engagement on theslide, the spacing of each side of the shank from the longitudinalcenter line being difierent. In-the fourth embodiment, the adjustablestop is in the form of a pivotally mounted member having an upperportion of angular cross section in operable engagement with the tongueand an integrally formed lower portion of semi-circular cross sectionprovided with spaced teeth. A screw threaded through the arm in operableengage ment with the teeth of the stop varies th position of the stoprelative to the tongue. In the fifth embodiment, the stop is constitutedof a slide disposed in the arm and in operable-engagement with thetongue. Varying the position of the slide relative to the tongue is ascrew threaded through the arm in operable engagement with the base ofthe slide, a portion of the screw shank being flattened and beveled andcoacting with the slide. The invention will appear more clearly from thefollowingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings showing by way of example the preferredembodiments of the inventive concept. I Inthe drawings: 'i I r Figures 1through 3 show the first embodiment of the adjustable stop for varyingthe position of the spring clip of an earring relative to'the ornamentarm, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention,and in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the spring clip;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along 22-of Figure 1 showing the adjustablestop for the spring clip and on enlarged scale; and Figure 3 is asectional view along 3-3 of Figure 1, also enlarged,

Figures 4 through 7 show the second embodiment of the adjustable stop,and in which;

I Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the spring clip;

Figure 5 is a sectional view along 5-5 of Figure4; a

Figure 6 is a sectional view along 6-6 of Figure4=,and I Figure 7 is anend view of the spring clip shown in Figure 4 with the clip in sectionand in the open position.

Figures 8 through 10 show the third embodiment of the adjustable stop,and in which: I Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 3; Figure 9is a sectional view along 99 of Figure8; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view along I l)l0 of Figu're8. I

Figures 11 and 12 show thefourth embodiment of the adjustable stop, andin which: I

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Figure 3 and Figure12 is a sectional view along l2l2' of Figure 11.

Figures 13 and 14 show the fifth embodiment of the adjustable stop, andin which: Figure 13 is a fragmentary view similar tothat of Figure 3;and

Figure 14 is a side view shown in Figure l3; a v "Referring now ingreater detail to the first em-' bodiment of the adjustable stop showninFigures 1 through:s wherezlikeireference numerals inof the adjustablestop dicate like parts, reference numeral 2:) indicates the ornamentarm, 2| the spring clip, and 22 the adjustable stop.

The ornament arm is of the known type having a bent portion 23 (Fig. 2)for fitting under the ear lobe and on either side of which are thedownwardly directed ears 24 and 25. The spring clip 2| is also known andhas a tongue 26 integrally formed with the spring clip at the bottomand'in spaced relationship to the integrally formed side portions 2'!and 28 which are turned outwardly at the top as shown to provide a meansfor hingedly attaching the clip in aligned openings made in the ears 24and 25 of the ornament arm. The tongue 26 by virtue of the constructionthereof and the spring like character of the material in coaction withthe end of the bent portion of the ornament arm provides a means formaintaining the free end of the clip in spaced relationship to theornament arm and under tension. However, the variations in the lobe ofthe human ear from person to person prevent any standardization of thespacing of the clip from the arm and actually requires a means forvarying the magnitude of the spacing to fit the earring to the ear lobeof a particular person.

The means for varying the aforementioned spacing is in the adjustablestop 22 made of the circular disc 29 in operable engagement with thetongue 26 and keyed to a shaft 38 rotatably passed through the bentportion 23 of the ornament arm 20. By attaching the disc 29 off center,the perpendicular distance between the axis of rotation and the edge ofthe tongue 26 is varied, the less the distance the greater the spacingof the end of the clip 2| from the end of the arm 20, and the less thetension on the spring clip. The greater the distance, the closertogether the ends of the members will be with the tension increased.Once this adjustment is made for the ear of any person, no furtheradjustment will in general be required.

In operation, the spring 2| is moved outwardly to the dot dash positionshown in Figure 2 and inverted from the position shown in that figure sothat the ornament arm 20 extends upwardly on the outside of the earlobe, the bent portion 23 passing under the lobe, and the clip 21extending upwardly on the inside of the lobe. By moving the clip 21 tothe full line position shown in Figure 2, the earring should be fastenedto the lobe without excessive pressure and without being too looselyattached. In the case of excessive pressure, by inserting the blade ofscrew driver in the slot 3! and turning the disc 29 until the distancebetween the axis of rotation and the circumference of the disc incontact with the tongue 26 is greater than that of the original setting,the excessive pressure on the ear lobe can be relieved. In the casewhere the pressure is insufiicient for the safety of the earring, thereversal of the previous steps will probably adapt the earring to thelobe of the ear.

Of course, if the tongue 28 be extended above the plane of the bentportion 23, the disc 29 may be mounted on the opposite side of the arm.Moreover, the slot for turning the disc 29 may be made in either thewasher 32 holding the disc in position-or directly in the disc.

In the second embodiment of the adjustable stop shown in Figures 4through '7, reference numeral 40 indicates the spring clip, 4! theornament arm, and 42 the adjustable stop.

The spring clip 40 and the ornament arm M are identical with thecorresponding members of the first embodiment previously described.

The adjustable stop 42 is constituted of a polygonal head 43 keyed to ashaft M in such a manner that the perpendicular distance between thelongitudinal center line of the shaft and each edge of the polygonalhead varies. The shaft 44 is rotatably passed through the bent portionof the arm 4| and is held in place by the washer 45. The position of thestop 42 relative to the tongue 46 of the clip is such that irrespectiveof the distance of the edge of the polygonal head from the center line,one face of the head is always in contact with the tongue or the sidearms of the spring clip or both. Hence, the tension of the spring clipmay never be varied.

The operation of the adjustable stop of the second embodiment issubstantially the same as that already described under the firstembodiment. The polygonal head may be slotted as illustrated or thewasher holding the shaft in place may be slotted to receive the blade ofa screw driver during manipulation.

In the third embodiment of the adjustable stop shown in Figures 8through 10, reference numeral 50 indicates the ornament arm, 5| thetongue of the spring clip, and 52 the adjustable stop.

Both the ornament arm and the tongue of the spring clip as well as thespring clip of which the tongue is a part are identical with thecorresponding members of the first embodiment already described.

A slideway 54 is formed in the bent portion 53 of the ornament arm 50extending under the ear lobe, the slideway being in the edge adjacentthe tongue 5!. Slidable in the slideway is a slide 55 which may have anintegrally formed and outwardly directed protuberance 56 in contact withthe tongue 5!. Along the inner edge of the slide is an open slot theinner end of which is of semi-circular form While the outer end is madeby removing the portions of the bent portion 53 leading into the innerend of the slot between tangents to the semi-circular portion at theends of the diameter thereof parallel to the inner end of the slide, thedepth of the open slot being equal to the diameter of the semi-circularportion. Over each side of the slideway and adjacent the inner edge arethe plates 58 and 59 attached to the bent portion 53 by any known means.The plates have formed therein circular openings aligned with eachother, the inner edge of the slideway and the semi-circular portion ofthe slot in the slide. The circular opening in one plate is internallythreaded.

Threaded through the aligned openings is a screw 51, only the tip of thescrew is threaded for coaction with the internally threaded opening inthe plate while the shank between the threaded tip and head is ofpolygonal cross section (Fig. 8) the perpendicular distance from thelongitudinal center line of the screw to each face of the polygon beingdifferent.

The operation with the adjustable stop of the third embodiment issubstantially the same as that described under the first embodiment. Byturning the screw 51 with the blade of a screw driver inserted in theslotted head, the screw will rotate. If the perpendicular distance fromthe center of the screw to the face of the polygon, the ends of whichare in contact with the semicircular slot in the slide while theopposite face is in contact with the inner edge of the slideway, givesinsufficient spacing of the spring clip and the ornament arms, merely byrotating the screw until a face having a spacing from the inner edge ofthe slideway greater than that of the original setting is in contactwith the semi-circular slot, the desired spacing between the spring clipand ornament arm can be attained within reasonable limits.

In the fourth embodiment of the adjustable stop shown in Figures 11 and12, reference numeral 60 indicates the bent portion of the ornament arm,and SI the adjustable stop.

The ornament arm, the bent portion 60 of which is shown in Figure 11,and the spring clip (not shown) are identical with the correspondingmembers of the first embodiment previously described.

The adjustable stop 6| is constituted of an upper portion 62 having anangular cross section as shown in Figure 12 and an integrally formedlower portion 63 of semi-circular cross section which carries the spacedteeth 64. Longitudinally disposed through the stop BI is a shaft 65 andto which it is keyed in any known manner. Maintaining the shaft and stoprotary are any suitable bearings 66 and 61 integrally formed in spacedarrangement as illustrated with the bent portion 60 and so positionedthat the apex of the angular upper portion is in contact with the tongueof the spring (not shown) Rotating the stop 6| in the bearings is ascrew 68 threaded through the bent portion in such a manner that thethreads of the screw along the upper edge (Fig. 12) are in operableengagement with the teeth formed on the inner portion of the stop 6 l.

Operation with the adjustable stop 6| of the fourth embodiment is thesame as that described for the stop of the first embodiment. When thevertical center line of the stop 6| through the apex of the angularportion (Fig. 12) is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line ofthe screw 68, the free end of the spring clip will have been stopped inthe closed position as far as possible from the ornament arm. With theblade of a screwdriver inserted in the slotted head of the will permitthe end of the spring clip to come 6 in closer relationship with the endof the ornament arm.

In the fifth embodiment of the adjustable stop shown in Figures 13 and14 reference numeral I0 indicates the bent portion of the ornament arm(not shown), and 1| the adjustable stop.

The ornament arm and the spring clip (not shown) are identical with thesame components of the already described first embodiment. A slideway 72is formed in the free end of the bent portion 10 and adjacent the tongueof the spring clip. In the slideway is a slide 13.

Varying the position of the slide 13 in the slide- Way 12 is a screw Mwhich is threaded through the bent portion m of the ornament arm. On thescrew is a fiat beveled surface portion 15 some portion of which isalways maintained in contact with the inner edge of the slide 13.

The operation with the adjustable stop H is substantially like that ofthe first embodiment. With the end of a screwdriverblade inserted in theslotted head 15a of the screw and causing the screw to turn through 360will give a difierent point of contact on the fiat beveled surface whichin turn will vary the positioning of the spring clip relative to theornament arm.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exactdisclosure herein described but may lend itself to a variety ofexpressions within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An earring comprising an arm and a spring clip pivotally disposedadjacent one end of the arm and in spaced relationship therewith, thespring clip having a tongue formed therein, a stop disposed on the armand coacting with the tongue, the stop comprising a circular disc, andmeans for eccentrically mounting the disc on the arm in operableengagement with the tongue.

EMANUEL L. ARZT.

Name Date Chernow Feb. 4, 1941 Number

